


Back at the corner where I first saw you

by syri_chii



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Friendship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 05:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/635405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syri_chii/pseuds/syri_chii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jun left. Nino has been waiting. Aiba has been watching. Ohno and Sho are just being there for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back at the corner where I first saw you

**Author's Note:**

> another idea I had for self_exchange@lj but had second thoughts about it. The timeline I had in mind is past, present and then future. Unbeta'ed.

Nino didn’t understand, not at all. But here he was at this small café in town where they used to hang out.

_Don’t wait for me or was it, wait for me?_

Nino was not sure anymore. Had his memories got jumbled after all this time? Had all this waiting made his mind rust?

“Are you expecting for someone?” The tall lanky dark brown haired waiter who seemed to be wearing a smile all the time and always served him asked one time. And Nino replied what his mind immediately provided.

“Yes, I’m waiting for someone.”

“Oh, I hope that person comes soon. It’s not good making people wait.”

Nino chose not to reply.

_But he isn’t coming, coming back._

Nino knew that but he still came here and waited. He was waiting in vain for someone whom he knew would not be returning at all.

 

*

The start of their relationship could be compared to finding the end of scotch tape. They didn’t see it but they could feel it.

Strange how love can make someone lose himself.

Nino, who was always been keen in everything, somehow lost his perception. If he could trace back what happened to them, to think back at what point did their one path began to separate.

He thought back now all the times they spent together and a pang crawled to his chest when he realized it could be count in his hand the moment they were together.

“You’re seldom home because you travel a lot. I know it’s the nature of your work and I do understand but don’t you think you’re being unfair? Could you at least keep your side of the deal?”

If Nino could just choose his words wisely but before he could come up with the proper words, the emotions got ahead of him.

“So what is this now, a deal to you?”

“You know what I mean.” Nino’s voice sounded tired than he thought. He heard the other released a deep sigh.

“I don’t think this… this we have is working out anymore.” Nino held on to his breath as his ears caught the next words being said in a small voice. “It’s no longer working out, Nino.”

How can he say that? Nino mused. He’s the one who’s trying his hardest to keep everything together.

Why?

 

*

 

It had been a year and six months since then and Nino found himself still counting. To be honest, he no longer comprehended his actions; why he was even here, waiting?

How can he move on when everything he did, everywhere he went and everything he thought, he was being reminded by _him_?

Where do I go from here?

Nino believed that _he_ would come back. That one day, _he_ would walk across the street and sit, talk to him and ask for forgiveness for leaving him.

A part of Nino believed in that but day after day of waiting, that part of him slowly disappeared.

 

*

Why was it most of what Nino remembered in their relationship was about their fights? Why was it? Right, because most of the time, they argued, disagreed and quarreled a lot.

Like one time, Nino was left in the apartment and when he came back, he was complaining how the place was in a mess.

Or that one time when Nino forgot to take out the garbage?

Looking back, Nino realized how trivial the things they fought over. But even so, the make-up they had after was always how should he say it, something he looked forward to?

Perhaps, the reason why they fought was because of the make-up they do.

By now, Nino figured out how he disliked reminiscing.

He didn't finish his cup when he decided he wouldn’t return to this shop. Ever.

 

*

 

Nino found himself once more in the shop one early morning three days after the so-called not going back decision was made. Screw that decision.

Actually, he wasn’t supposed to be out here. However a guilty feeling sprouted inside him the last time he snapped at the waiter guy who always served him. Normally, yes normally he just let the feeling dissipated but for unknown reason, it only escalated even more causing him sleepless nights.

He quickly spotted the tall smiling waiter guy who was already there, holding a broom, sweeping and humming a cheery tune.

“Good morning,” the guy greeted when he noticed Nino. Nino smiled a little, that kind of smile he usually had whenever he was embarrassed about something. “We’re still closed but do you mind waiting here while I clean?”

“Not at all. Sorry for coming so early.”

The guy shook his head. “It’s okay. I’ll be quick then.”

Nino watched the guy continued to sweep, arrange the tables and chairs and everything. The guy then flipped the sign from ‘Sorry, We’re closed.’ to ‘Welcome, We’re open.’

“Welcome!” The guy said to Nino as he opened the door and motioned Nino to come inside.

 

*

Ohno came by to see Nino at the shop several times. He ambled in front of where Nino was sitting and took a seat. Nino was a little bit of surprised to see him since he knew that the man was always on the sea.

“Nino,” was Ohno’s preamble and by the tone of his voice, Nino quickly caught up what was Ohno’s up to.

“Hi Oh-chan.” Nino greeted before returning to playing with his phone.

Ohno looked at his friend.

“He isn’t coming back, you know that.”

Nino pretended not to hear what Ohno just said.

Ohno looked at him with sad eyes before he grabbed his bag and walked away. When Nino felt that Ohno was gone, he put down his phone and placed his head on the table.

 

*

By this time, Nino came to terms how he didn’t like spending his time alone because spending time alone meant visiting the past or most of the time dwelling there.

And he quite knew how much damage could cause to him.

Destruction and self-pity.

Maybe that’s why he frequently went to the shop. It was a distraction. Watching people passed by, moving on with their lives.

Okay, maybe not entirely helpful.

“Here’s your tea.”

Nino spared a glance at the ever always beaming with sunshine waiter of his (yes, _his personal waiter_ ) who placed his order, smiling at him. Nino was tempted to ask if that guy if he ever got tired smiling but decided not to.

The strange thing was Nino smiled back. It’s hard to resist to smile back.

There’s nothing to lose if he returned the gesture, right?

 

*

Nino didn’t expect to see him. Cross that, he wasn’t prepared to see him after one year, ten months and twenty-eight days.

Nino was looking for new CDs to listen when he heard a familiar voice. His heart beat faster as he turned around to look where the voice was coming from.

“Nino,”

Nino froze from where he stood as he saw the owner of the voice.

“Jun,” Nino mouthed the name he had been trying to forget, to remember and to forget again time after time.

The man named Jun stared back. They stood there, few feet away.

“Jun,” Another voice chimed in and Nino, before he could stop himself, showed a surprise reaction when a woman appeared behind Jun.

“I thought you were out of town.”

“I was. I just came back. By the way, this is…”

Nino couldn’t remember the name. It was like something was blocking his ears when Jun mentioned her name and talked about her and how they met and such.

“It’s nice seeing you Nino.”

Nino managed to pull a smile.

“We’ll go ahead.” Jun said, his hand on her waist.

Nino watched the two walked out the shop, and probably his life as well.

 

*

 

Nino didn’t go to the shop for months. Actually, he didn’t go out for months after that. He holed himself in his apartment, buried his thoughts with video games he missed playing.

One day, the doorbell rang continuously. Nino stood up while grumbling about people disturbing him and opened up the door.

It was Ohno.

“Let’s go fishing today.”

 

*

“When someone leaves, it can only means that someone is about to come,”

Nino and Ohno were sitting at the dock. In the end, they couldn’t go to the boat since Nino has seasickness. That tiny fact slipped out of Ohno’s mind. So in order not to waste their time, Ohno suggested they’d just hang out there.

Nino was watching the fishes swimming freely below them. “I don’t want anyone now. I’m fine by myself,” Nino replied and Ohno quickly understood what Nino was trying to say. I’ll never fall in love again.

“Sometimes, a new love is good. No, it’s not about looking for someone to fill the empty hole. In time Nino, you’ll meet someone.”

 

*

 

It has been a year since Nino last visited the shop. The shop has renovated. It got more spacious and busier than ever. Suddenly, Nino felt out of place as he sat there.

“Welcome.”

Nino looked up only to find a new waiter standing in front of him. Where was that guy, the one who usually served him? Before he knew it, he was already asking.

“Didn’t you have an employee who seemed to be cheerful?”

The waiter scrunched his eyebrows as he tried to search in his memories.

“The one who always smiling?” Nino wanted to add up, ‘the one who is bright like a sun spreading rays all over the place.’

“Oh, you mean Aiba? Uh yeah, he resigned three months ago. Are you okay?”

Nino didn’t realize he had dejected expression until the guy that turned out to be Aiba’s close friend pointed it out.

“I remember you now. You’re the one Aiba kept talking about. I didn’t recognize you at all.”

Nino smiled sheepishly while he unconsciously ran his hand over his used to be blond but now light brown hair. “So Aiba-san is no longer working here.”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

Nino shook his head and changed the subject.

Why indeed?

 

-#-

Aiba unconsciously looks at the guy sitting by himself at the corner of the small shop. Every now and then, he checks the guy while cleaning and wiping up the tables. The guy seems to be away from here, from reality.

“Are you waiting for someone?” Aiba cannot hold himself from asking one time as he finishes putting the cup of tea. The guy tears away his eyes from the streets and turns to Aiba.

“Yes, I’m waiting for someone.”

“Oh, I hope that someone comes soon.”

The guy doesn’t reply. Instead, he goes back at watching the busy people passing by.

 

The person the guy is waiting for is not coming, Aiba thinks as he spots the guy steps in and sits on his usual place. It has been two weeks and three months since Aiba first noticed the guy.

Maybe the person is in a trip. Aiba shakes his head. Why is he thinking about the guy’s business?

 

-#-

“Why do you always look so far away in this world, as if you’re unreachable?”

“Why are you trying?”

Aiba is taken aback by the man’s answer or question rather. The man stares at him for a second before shifting back his attention at the parade outside.

 

-#-

“And so he waits there for the whole day until the shop closes and comes back tomorrow to wait again.”

“And you’re telling me this because you are bothered by his presence?” Sho eyes Aiba as he pauses from wiping the plate. Aiba shakes his head.

“No, I’m not bothered. Let’s just say I’m curious.”

Aiba cannot openly say to Sho what he really thinks about the man even though he knows Sho can and completely understands him through and through. There’s something about that line regular customer of Aiba which makes him curious.

“Just don’t do anything irrational,” is Sho’s advice before he returns back to the kitchen. Aiba does not know what Sho means until few weeks after.

Curiosity, when it comes to Aiba, seems to be spell dilemma.

 

-#-

It is actually easy for Aiba to be in love though it takes time for him to notice it. And that’s where Sho enters. That’s why Sho exists in Aiba’s life; to tell Aiba.

And once he’s in love, the most difficult part of it is how to stop.

Because when it comes to love, brakes, restraints and limitation don’t work.

When love hits you, it hits you whoever he/she may be.

 

-#-

 

“Do you think you can love someone you haven’t known anything about except his shop’s order? Can you love a stranger?”

Sho stops reading and glances at Aiba who is resting his head on the counter.

“Can you call it love when all you got to do is watch that someone from afar?”

“Aiba,” Sho touches Aiba’s shoulder to make him look at him in the eye. Aiba lifts his head to meet Sho’s eyes.

“Because this,” Aiba points his chest. “It hurts so much whenever I see him sit there waiting. I want to walk over him and tell him to stop waiting, that the person he’s waiting for isn’t coming back and that he is wasting his time. But I can’t because who am I to tell him those words, huh?”

Aiba sighs then buries his face with his hands.

 

-#-

 

“Let’s go out for some drinks tonight.”

“Actually, I was thinking…”

“Drinks tonight, my treat.”

And Aiba cannot decline because Sho hates being turned down and basically because he needs it too and Sho sees it.

It has been two consecutive months since the man’s last visited in the shop.

“I know this is silly and you can laugh at me but I’m really in love with him.”

Aiba’s words slurred a bit due to the alcohol however the certainty in his voice and the expression on his face, Sho knows for sure that his friend is into real deep.

“Maybe I’ll end up just like him. Waiting for the person I’m in love to return or in my case to notice me. Would you think he’ll notice me?”

“Masaki, stop thinking like that. This is not like you.”

But Aiba doesn’t hear Sho’s words. He continues on since he needs to get it out of his system because it is too much already.

“I hope so but it’s nearly impossible. You see, whenever I get the chance to look straight in his eyes all I can see is the anticipation of someone returning. Besides, how can I get him to notice me when all his mind can think of is the person he’s waiting for?”

“Get a grip, Masaki. You should know better than anyone else that it’s hard to get over someone and moving on is the most difficult part. You cannot rush things.”

“And I don’t think I can wait any longer, Sho-chan.”

“Remember Masaki, timing is always important. If you try to do something early or late, you’ll miss it either way. It has always got to be at the right time.”

“Everything that happens and everyone that meets has the right time.”

 

-#-

“Are you sure about this?” Sho asks for the third time or maybe fourth. He just stepped out from the shop for a second after Aiba called him out. He doesn’t expect to see his friend with a bag, travelling bag to be exact.

“Have you really really thought hard about this?”

No, I haven’t and I’m not even sure if I want this, is what Aiba wants to answer. That he is making a big mistake but nothing of these thoughts come out from Aiba’s mouth.

“I need to do this, that’s all I’m certain.” Aiba replies when he notices that Sho is waiting in fact for an answer. Sho looks at Aiba for the last time then embraces him.

“You take care of yourself, okay.”

Aiba nods as he tries his best to stop his tears from falling. The good trait and one thing Aiba will miss is Sho being a caring friend.

“Thank you for everything, Sho-chan.”

 

Sho watches the bus Aiba is on gets smaller and smaller. And when he doesn’t see it anymore, he gets back to the shop.

The entrance door then swings opens and a light brown haired man walks in and sits at the corner by the window.

 

-#-

 

Do you believe in fate or destiny?

I don’t. Honestly.

But I believe that everything happens at the right time.

If I ever get the chance to make something happen, this will be it.

 

-#-

They will meet once again but it will take some time because they needed it; to learn, to heal and to start over again. And when they finally get back on their feet, their clocks will soon start to move once more.

Aiba will spot Nino in the sea of people because he always does. He will stare at him first, thinking, wishing Nino will turn and see him standing.

Nino on the other hand will feel someone is looking at him in this middle of crowd. His eyes will roam, trying to search for that person.

And their eyes will meet.

They stand at the center of the large and crowded city.

Aiba will be the first one to walk and Nino will find himself moving as well.

One step, two steps, three steps.

The distance between them will shorten and shorten until they will stand close to each other now, just few feet away.

Aiba will take more time to gaze at Nino as if trying to remember him. But Nino will inch closer more until he is face to face to Aiba.

“Hi,” Aiba will say almost breathless and yet composed. Nino will take in the now calmingly soft voice he has been imagining to hear again for the past years.

“You know, I think I don’t want to wait anymore. I’m through with it.” Nino will reply.

Aiba will grin and Nino smiles back then Aiba will take Nino’s hand, hold it with his and make their way out the place, hand by hand.

Together, they will.

 

#


End file.
